Don’t be swayed by those wackos racing slalom gates down the face of Howelsen during Winter Carnival. People snow-ride for fun and exercise, and it’s actually safer than its summertime counterpart. It’s technical, without the consequences; rocks, logs and other bumps are covered, and you don’t go as fast, making falls less painful. “Everything is cushioned,” Pietras says.

Helping, of course, are technology advances, primarily in tires. While some riders retrofit rims with oversized tires to boost traction, others adorn treads with studs. Still others rent or purchase oversized bikes specifically for the task. But you don’t really need either, especially on the trails of Emerald, where the singletrack is seemingly made for snow riding.

“Normal mountain bikes work great, especially if you let a little air out of the tires,” Orange Peel owner Brock Webster says.

Regardless of what you ride, the movement is gaining steam, and not just in Steamboat. Moots’ Eric Hindes recently competed in Minnesota’s Arrowhead 135 snow-bike race, and Winter Park launched a snow-bike race circuit this year.